A delirious fever dream of a film, Seijun Suzuki's Branded to Kill takes the familiar elements of "B"-movie crime drama and transforms them into something outrageously bizarre and unexpectedly poetic. The film's story… MoreA delirious fever dream of a film, Seijun Suzuki's Branded to Kill takes the familiar elements of "B"-movie crime drama and transforms them into something outrageously bizarre and unexpectedly poetic. The film's story centers on Hanada, a.k.a. "No. 3 Killer," the third-best hit man in Japanese organized crime. Near the top of his game, his fortunes change when he encounters Misako, a mysterious, death-obsessed woman who brings him a particularly difficult mission. In a famous moment indicative of the film's eccentric sensibility, a butterfly lands on his gun's sight at the exact moment he pulls the trigger, causing him to miss the shot. This failure means that the killer becomes the target, and must run for his life from his former employers, and the mysterious "No. 1 Killer." While the film does contain some spectacular action sequences, the story is played less as a suspense thriller than as a surrealistic, psychosexual nightmare, filled with grotesque imagery and strange touches, such as Misako's use of a dead bird's corpse as a rear-view mirror decoration, and his almost fetishistic fixation with the smell of boiling rice. Indeed, the narrative is at times so fragmented that it is often difficult to decipher exactly what is happening; however, the striking black-and-white cinematography and avant-garde editing provide the film with a dream logic all its own. Now considered by many critics a maverick classic comparable to the works of Samuel Fuller or Jean-Luc Godard, the film was less well received at the time of its original release, with its utter strangeness leading to director Suzuki's firing from the Nikkatsu studio and the near destruction of his career. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi

'Branded to Kill' is one of those films that feels so far ahead of its time, we may still not have caught up to it. The violence is raw, the sex even more so, and the monochrome photography is flawless.

Hamada, the #3 killer with the rice-sniffing fetish, finds himself in trouble with the Organization after he falls in love with a woman with a death wish.… MoreHamada, the #3 killer with the rice-sniffing fetish, finds himself in trouble with the Organization after he falls in love with a woman with a death wish. BRANDED drips with 60s cool and is a near-perfect work of neo-surrealism in that, although the details often don't make sense, the big picture always does. Contains the memorable scenes of Hamada assassinating a man by shooting up a drainpipe and botching a hit when a butterfly lands on his gun barrel.

Tsubaki Sanjuro

Style made into substance. Just like Hausu, this is another movie that feels like it droped from some alternative dimension. Writting a review for this is… MoreStyle made into substance. Just like Hausu, this is another movie that feels like it droped from some alternative dimension. Writting a review for this is beyond the point, you either going to dig this or not. Even if you end up disliking it by the end the fact will remain, there's no other movie like Branded to Kill, and will never be.

Eric Broome

Hanada (Jo Shishido, whose strangely bulging cheeks anticipate Marlon Brando in "The Godfather") is the third best hitman in Japan, but botches an… MoreHanada (Jo Shishido, whose strangely bulging cheeks anticipate Marlon Brando in "The Godfather") is the third best hitman in Japan, but botches an assignment and becomes a marked man himself. A simple plot is needlessly confusing at first, as shadowy, black-and-white imagery rattles around too many poorly differentiated characters. But once the scenario narrows to a showdown between Hanada and his stalker, the tension becomes much more intense. Director Seijun Suzuki's bold editing and relentless tight shots are a bit tiring, but brilliant lighting, an evocative score and well-chosen locations save the day. For extra fun, add Hanada's bizarre fetish for smelling cooked rice.

Quinto Wallight

Sometimes the very own weirdness of the movie (not that there's too much or too complicated) sinks it a little, though without it the story would be too… MoreSometimes the very own weirdness of the movie (not that there's too much or too complicated) sinks it a little, though without it the story would be too simple as told, but it's saved by the fact that it's always easy to follow, rather engaging, some humor and an interesting lead character.

Randy Tippy

Nonsensical violence with some of the most poorly choreographed gunfights you'll ever see. A macabre train-wreck of a film that draws you in by appealing… MoreNonsensical violence with some of the most poorly choreographed gunfights you'll ever see. A macabre train-wreck of a film that draws you in by appealing to that warped, illogical, action-craving part of your brain that everyone has and few acknowledge.

El Hombre Invisible

Seijun Suzuki's Branded To Kill is a yakuza film for a unique sort of audience. The movie studio had approaced Suzuki to do a gangster flick and had given… MoreSeijun Suzuki's Branded To Kill is a yakuza film for a unique sort of audience. The movie studio had approaced Suzuki to do a gangster flick and had given him a scipt with strong rules to follow. He disregarded and gave them Branded To Kill. Upon studio heads previewing the film when complete, Suzuki was fired on the spot from the studio.
It's been said that this is about as close to traditional yakuza pictures as Godard's "Alphaville" is to science fiction and should you choose to see this, you'll strongly agree, afterwards....hell, maybe even 15 minutes into it.
Everything from death, love, sex, car chases, and even walking through a hallway are tweaked by Suzuki's creative vision. To shove things into the studio's face even more, Seijun Suzuki remade his own film around the turn of the century as Pistol Opera.
<a href="http://s111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/wickedwalrus/?action=viewĄt=brandedtokillwide90.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/wickedwalrus/brandedtokillwide90.jpg" border="0" alt="branded to kill 3"></a>

Chris Browning

The famous and extreme film that got Seijun Suzuki fired after it's release and nearly destroyed his career, now over 40 years since it's release the… MoreThe famous and extreme film that got Seijun Suzuki fired after it's release and nearly destroyed his career, now over 40 years since it's release the film is heralded as a classic from an auteur and is praised alongside such Directors as Fuller and Godard. I've seen Suzuki films and after viewing "Tokyo Drifter" a couple days ago (Which is also reviewed in my blog) I thought that his films couldn't push the envelope that much more but boy was I wrong! "Branded to Kill" is Suzuki at his most extreme of extremes! This film is of the same essence as "Tokyo Drifter" but fueled up and nearly dreamlike throughout the entire film with it's striking B&W cinematography and editing that is truly dreamlike and even humorous in it's progression of timing. The film is filled with both action and drama and some truly outrageous and simply strange scenes, most of which involve the main character Hanada Goro and his fetish for sniffing boiling rice. The film also plays out like a wonderful and surreal thriller in the ways of some of the assassinations as well as the various character's and their bizarre issues. All this said, If you are looking for something truly different and unique as well as a damn fine film filled with style to spare and created by a true film auteur, then this is one hell of a ride!

Robert Fearon

Strange. Didn't really do anything for me.

Arash Xak

Not the weird for the sake of being weird movie that I expected but has many unconventional & absurd moments, Overall fun & funny

Ken Stachnik

It's Ghost Dog,,,on Japaneses LSD with alot of sex throne in for flavor

Lesley N

Black and white Japanese yakuza thingy, and if that sounds vague then blame the film, because I didn't have a clue what was going on most of the time. This… MoreBlack and white Japanese yakuza thingy, and if that sounds vague then blame the film, because I didn't have a clue what was going on most of the time. This was the film that got Suzuki the director banned from the studio for "making movies that made no sense and no money" though apparently now its seen as an "absurdist masterpiece" whatever that is. Anyway there's lots of shooting and jangly music, and a couple of women who keep losing their clothes for some reason, and a room full of dead butterflies. If thats any help.

Christopher Brown

The film that got Suzuki fired is a perfect example of what happens when you let artistic freedom run free on a studio genre picture. This is teh equivalent of… MoreThe film that got Suzuki fired is a perfect example of what happens when you let artistic freedom run free on a studio genre picture. This is teh equivalent of someone turning a formula action pic like Mr and Mrs. Smith, into an artistic achievement. Sure it's good for folks like me, but most audience members and studios like to get what they pay for, and it would bomb and there'd be hell to pay. Hats off to Suzuki for continuing to have a successful career after this amazing film.